Rumble Tumble, Double Trouble!
by jiemae
Summary: One, a teenaged girl charged with keeping her family sane in a world that is not their own. Two, a five year old who refuses to be tamed and instead tries to tame the ninja they are surrounded by. Three, a father who had just gotten used to the internet and now must part ways. Unfortunately. [SI/OC]
1. ARC 1: Wormhole (1)

**A/N**: Hello there! If you're clicking onto this work thinking it's only one author working on this project, it's not. There are two of us! Twin sisters to be exact. Kairi, the youngest in this story, will be written by **SassySizzleMonster** and the voice, as its of a child's, will be very telling and not much showing will be done. On the flip side, Kaida will be the older voice and we hope you'll find the dynamic between them as fun as we do!

**Note: **Unedited (Will fix soon)

* * *

**Rumble Tumble, Double Trouble!**

**ARC 1: Wormhole (1)**

* * *

KAIRI

_Sorry sis, I'm so sorry._ I grip my knees and rub my face into the crevices of it. The scent of the freshly cleaned dress I wear had stopped comforting me after a while, but I'd been kind of hoping... I sigh, a light breath that grazes my leg and leaves it colder than it had been before.

I look around, and once again I see no chance of escape. This isn't my world, and it's incredibly far from it. That doesn't mean I don't know where I am, though. I remember watching Naruto because my older sister loves it and I enjoyed what I had seen of it. I stopped watching because I'd gotten fed up with how long it was. I'm impatient. I really should've listened when my older sister was going on about it. Since I'm here now.

I'm now near the brink of tears, I mean come on, I'm just a little girl that's barely turned six years old. I was in a cell without even having committed a crime. And I'm certain that if you do no wrong, there should be no punishment. They'll think that too. Right?

I stand immediately when I hear a loud clang, I'm certain its more for me than anything else. This is meant to unnerve me, or maybe so I'm not scared, right? I'm definitely nerved, though. Yeah, it freaks me out more so than their silent approach. Maybe. I'm not sure which is worse, really.

It's the same guy I fell on during some sort of meeting between the masked men and the Hokage when I came from the portal. Or wormhole, I think I remember my sister mentioning something like this before, like how scientists don't really know anything about them. So I don't either. I definitely don't.

"Gonna set me free?" I ask in spotty Japanese, looking at him hopefully. I have to admit, I'm quite the optimist. Is that a bad thing? I hope not. My sister says it's not though, but that's the opposite. A pessimist.

He doesn't respond, only unlatches the door and comes forward only to grab me by the wrist. My nose twitches at that. It reminds of Korean dramas, really, how the guy always grabs the girl by the wrist. It irks me. No one should be bossed around like that, that's what my sister says.

I want to pull away, but I know this is definitely life and death. So I let him lead me out.

I feel hot under his grip, my nerves getting the best of me as he leads me to another wing of the maze-like building that this place very much is. I'm sure it's the headquarters I saw in the Anime, I think, really. My gut twists as he leads me further and I have to stop myself from pulling back to vomit.

Calm down, stomach, really. Where is he leading me? I have no clue, really, honest, yup. A minute or two passes of him leading me around and we're at a door.

The little tab on the side of the door reads Yamanaka in Hiragana, and I have to run my head for memories of why that struck me. Why do I feel like I know the name? Oh! Right, Yamanaka Ino! Aha, I'm so smart. Then my blood runs cold. Crap! No, I'm sorry I shouldn't curse, really. I'm just positive this could cause trouble.

The Yamanaka did the mind thing right?

Oh no. Really, oh no.

Anbu, I remember my sister calling the mask guys this, leads me inside the room and pauses before looking at me.

"Strip," then he pushes a hospital gown to my chest. "and put this on." Where did he even get that? What? My parents and sister always warned me against doing that, especially in front of strangers, no matter what. But this again was something necessary and my sister would agree, I know she would.

I look at him, waiting for him to turn around. I mean, I'm a girl and he's...well to be honest I don't really know how old he is. He needs to turn away. I'll strip, since life or death, but he needs to turn away. Because he's a stranger and that's just freaky.

"Turn please?" I ask poorly, I really should've listened more during dad's lessons when he was teaching me Japanese, his mother tongue, really.

He notices the quarks in my speech, but doesn't say anything as he makes a show of turning around, but I know he can still see me in some sort of way. He has to be seeing me in some other way, really. I'm an intruder, right? Don't lose sight of the enemy. Right? Really.

Once he's not looking at me, I comply and begin to strip away the complicated layers of my dress. Which is the first time for me to stripping myself. Daddy always dresses me or sometimes my sister. I think I know how to do it though. I remember daddy laughing when I tried a long time ago and had gotten stuck. I hope it doesn't turn out like that right now.

The dress I wear is really cute, too. My mom really loved it on me. I love it still.

A white cotton button down top with long sleeves attached to a long black skirt with ruffles of white fabric underneath. The skirting itself, while attached at the end of the top, also had thick long black suspenders with buttons at the top so I can slip it on my shoulders for a cute look or let them hang loose for a tomboy feel. I also had on a black belt that is intricately tied at my back to make it hard to slip off, as it was a lot bigger than me when I'd gotten it for my last birthday. Mama gave it to me.

I untie the ribbon at my neck before anything else and set it down on a table right besides me. I look down at my chest for a moment because I finally see what I had thought I'd lost in the fall. Surprise hits me and I smile.

I resist the urge to jump up and down, thank god for this sensible dress for having pockets! I bring my hands to my pocket and take out my sister's cell phone, the real reason why I'd tumbled into this place.

_I'm so sorry, so very sorry, big sis! _Dang it! Why am I so stupid? If I hadn't wanted to tease her about her new boy-that's-apparently-just-a-friend, I wouldn't have gotten into this mess. But then again, how could I have known this would happen?

I take my mind from it and place it back into my pocket before the anbu notices it. Then I do what he ordered and exchange my cute outfit for a terribly drafty one.

After a moment of silence, another man comes into the room, he's also very familiar and I can't remember his name, but I know who he is. He's Ino's father, the guy with the long blonde hair and nice personality. Does he have a nice personality? I don't remember. I just remember liking Ino a lot because she was a hero.

"Hello there, I'm Yamanaka Inoichi, what's your name?" The man says pleasantly, he kneels down before me and looks gentle as he rubs the crown of my head. I hope he doesn't ruin the curls my daddy did for me.

"Kamishiro Kairi." I say, and immediately blubber out unknown words afterwards. I hate that trait of mine. Being completely honest and answering just as honestly sometimes has it's drawbacks. Is being honest of my name wrong in this situation though? I'm not sure, I'm never sure. Really. Oh, it's back, the nervousness. I didn't realize it'd left me, really.

"Good, now please, sit down on the bed." Oh that's a bed? I thought that was a metal table, really. I do as he says, either way. "Now, lay down." Ok.

He comes forward very quietly, like I'm a cat whose caught and doesn't have any outs that may book it the moment he moves too quickly. It unnerves me, even still. I don't like stillness, I'd rather prefer he be quick. When he's reached me, he places a hand gently on my forehead, and that's when I finally understand.

Yes, I was right, he does the mind thing.

His hand that reaches my forehead only touches it for a moment before everything flashes. Things fly over my eyes like missiles going faster than light and yet I'm able to process it like it's really happening. All of these were my memories, from start to now. My conscious though, I think, can't take it. I keep fading in and out as he grazes my mind and searches for his answers. He knows I'm harmless, he knows I'm a weak little girl from a world where weak people live and don't fight in wars all the time. He knows.

Oh, is this where I die? Really? I hear that saying a lot, how people who have near death experiences say they see their life flash before them. Well I think it's definitely the same as this. Though I don't think I'm dying, I just feel like my head is splitting, is that dying? I'm not sure, really. He's opening me, like a book of sorts, except this is a head book. I think I may die from this, especially now that I can feel he's an intruder and feel that some sort of warmth is pooling inside of head, trickling around and it's scaring me. I'm afraid.

I'm really afraid, he needs to leave, I can tell him as much as he wants, but I don't want him prying me open like I'm some treasure chest. He now knows though, and I'm unable to do anything to thwart his actions.

I'm sobbing now, a hic leaves my mouth and I realize it's over when I do. He withdraws and places a soft palm over my limp ones.

Oh is he trying to comfort me? He knows me now, better than I think I know myself, so he must know I'm weak and will need a hand to guide me. I always need a hand to guide me.

"Watch over her," he says, his voice telling of some emotion I can't put my finger on, then his presence is no longer within the air. It scares me how quickly this all happens, as if to myself it's been forever but the air tells me different. It's only been a few minutes, but it's felt like a lifetime, my lifetime. I feel tired, emotionally drained and ready to sleep forever.

So I'm lulled into darkness soon after.

* * *

**ARC 1: Wormhole (1)**

* * *

I have my dress back, it's been washed again, but it doesn't have the same fragrance of the detergent my daddy uses. It smells of strawberries instead of tropical fruit. I feel off. It's definitely different. I like the smell though, but I miss the other scent.

I'm in a different room now, no longer a flat out jail, instead it's a furnished cell. It's one room and one bathroom though, much like a hotel looks. But there are no windows, and I miss the sun.

I'm not upset though, they've supplied me with plenty of food, and I can eat quite a bit. Especially since I had slept for so long. I'm told it'd been nearly 24 hours! I'd never slept that long in my entire life.

I'm feeling lonely now, I miss my sister. All I can remember is her yelling at me not to fall right before I tripped over some stump that had fallen over in the forest we lived by. Then I'd been dropped in thin air in this world I know very little about. I wish again I'd listened.

Which seems kind of common, I need to listen. I need to listen to my daddy more so I don't feel so lost when someone speaks to me in Japanese and they use words I can't comprehend yet. So I don't have to struggle when they tell me to do something and I forget the verb their using. I also need to listen to my sister more, so I don't feel so lost when somehow I do understand what's said, but it's something I can't understand at all. If that makes sense.

I try to shake the feeling of loneliness. I look towards the man who is slowly getting familiar to me. It's the anbu who I'd been caught by who keeps me company now that I'm awake. He's tall of course, and well built, even though he seems young I don't know if he's old or not. His mask reminds me of a cat though, ears that can be mistaken for horns, two holes for his eyes, and a very cat-like grin printed on the white of it. There's also two long streaks that cross his cheeks and I think it looks funny.

"Wearing mask? 'Cause you're ugly? Are you hurt? Scar? Want to be mysterious cool?" I'm irritated by my messed up speech, once more. I wish he knew English. I'm good at that language.

He tries his best to decode my terrible Japanese and sighs, which is weird for me to hear. "What if I told you, I'm all of the above?"

"I'm confused." I reply. I'm confused now, really. "How?"

"I'm ugly. I have a scar. I'm mysterious _and_ cool." Anbu says this easily for me to understand, clipped and short words that I know. He set his arms as if to say, 'there, try to combat that.'

"Okay, that's sad. How?" He gives me a look through said mask, but I can't read it so I ignore whatever he's trying to convey. Another sigh when I just look at him with my eyebrows drawn. I bring the cupcake that sat on a wooden tray to my mouth and nom on it. It has a lemon flavor and I think it's good, not like my daddy's though. He makes the best snacks. I may be biased though.

Anbu takes some, too, but I don't see where it vanishes, like a party trick almost. I decide not to think too much about it. It's a thing.

"It just is." He says to me. I smile at him.

"You're cool, maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe."

We talk a bit more like that for a few minutes when another masked man poofs in front of my anbu, his hands flickering too quickly for my eyes to comprehend so it just looks like he's standing still. Anbu nods before the other masked man leaves. He stands up from the yellow sofa he sat on and grabs for my hands.

He pulls me up so I stand straight, and then places his hands under the pits of arms and bring me towards him. My legs wrap around his waist and my hands hang loosely on his vest. I notice the tattoo on his shoulder then. It looks nice.

As I examine it, we immediately teleport to a different place entirely. I'm confused, until I remember ninja's can do that.

I'm in the hokage's office now. I tighten my grip on him, and wrap my arms around his neck as I look around the room nervously. It looks like it does in the anime, a large oak desk with stacks of paper on the tops, and windows that shine inwards lighting the room with the afternoon hue.

An old rugged man sits behind the desk and looks up when Anbu steps towards him. He's the Hokage.

Anbu tries to set me down but I keep my hold of him, shoving my head shyly in his neck. I'm scared again, but Anbu is the only thing physically familiar to me at the moment.

"It's alright, Kairi-chan." Hokage says and I look him over just to make sure. He seems like a nice person, but sometimes nice people aren't nice people at all. Daddy tells me that, and so does my sister. But I do remember Hokage, he's nice to Naruto.

"Okay." I say. There's a table with more snacks on it, with a tiny table there right next to his desk. Anbu takes me closer to it and drops me off, this time I let him go and sit down on the tiny chair that has flower patterns on it. Anbu stands next to me, slouching if only slightly. I took a crustless sandwich and nom on it, waiting for Hokage to tell me something. Like why I'm here. It's then I notice Inoichi popping into the room to stand by the hokage, his eyes grazing me over in relief.

"? to Yamanaka-san, you have ? ?, little one. He ? me you come from a ? world and that he saw our ? in the ? of some kind of ? ? yours. I would ? like to ? you ? you ? from ?, and how you ? so much about this world." My head boggles with every sound he makes, my head is hurting again. I only want him to stop speaking in Japanese and tell it to me back in English, but he can't and I feel lost because of it.

They see it in my eyes before they see it in my face.

"Sir, her ? is very ?, it's ? to use short words and short ?."

"Yeah!" I say to the Hokage, my eyebrows drawn downwards, I feel like I should react like I'd taken offense, but I didn't understand what their saying anyways.

"Okay," Hokage sighs, looking older and more wrinkled and for a slight second he sags into his chair, the fabric he wears weighing him down. The moment is gone and I've chosen to ignore it. "Kairi, where do you live?"

I wanted to shout stranger danger because you're not supposed to tell strangers that, but I knew Hokage if only a little bit. "Uh," how do I say this? How do addresses work in Japanese? "How do I say?"

Hmm.

"Alternate universe!" I know these words from an anime, I forget which one, though. I think it's what I'm trying to tell them.

"So a ? world of ours?" Hokage rubs his chin in thought. "Could it be the future of our world?" I actually understand this sentence! I understand.

"No!" I shout with a grin. "Manga! Naruto!"

"Naruto…" He's in thought, but shakes his head. "Are you still ?" Hokage almost scoffs. I don't know. I shrug.

"Manga, story." I'm tired of trying full sentences. Single words will have to suffice. "Naruto."

Hokage addresses Anbu. "? her ramen."

"Ramen?" I light up.

Anbu nods and flashes away. The side he stood by feels cold now. I look nervously to Inoichi, then to Hokage.

"This is just as you've said, Inoichi." Hokage regards the blonde man and has a look of grimness on his face.

I kick my feet out, anxious for the return of Anbu, he's getting ramen right? Why are they giving me ramen? I have all these snacks, daddy always warns me from tummy aches. They hurt.

"Of course." Inoichi replies.

Minutes pass of Inoichi and Hokage talking, but it's all too quick for me to understand and they use too many big words or words I don't know. I'm just staring into nothing when Anbu pops back by my side. I jump from the chair and step back before realizing he's carrying the thing I ordered. I beam up at him and sit back on the chair. He sets it in the middle after shuffling the other snacks around and hands me a pair of wooden chopsticks.

I break it apart like my daddy does for me when we eat and feel a twinge for him. I'm a messy eater, I can't eat without daddy. I take the chopsticks and try using them in the soup to pick up noodles, but it's hard without the rubber my daddy puts on my chopstick so I can learn how to use them.

I feel annoyed when I bring the noodles to my mouth and they slip back into the bowl. Luckily not on my dress.

I look towards Anbu for more help, who sighs again before kneeling down beside me and taking the chopsticks from my tiny fingers. He mixes the bowl around before picking up a few noodles. He brings it to my mouth.

"Blow." He orders and I do with a grin. He then tries to teach me how to grab things on my own and I laugh when I succeed without dropping any anywhere except in my mouth.

At this, Hokage says something with a laugh to Anbu that makes him sigh again. He sighs a lot.

I like it.

* * *

**ARC 1: Wormhole (1)**

* * *

KAIDA

"…She's coming to," a man's voice is saying as I blink into consciousness.

The very first thing I feel is burgeoning nausea and a particularly nasty headache that seems to spread throughout my body with the pounding that beat in time with my heart. I feel my eyelashes fluttering but I can't comprehend any of what I'm seeing or hearing because it's _just not right_.

Japanese in the small town I live in? Preposterous! Trees that extend up to dizzying heights with branches the width of three fully grown adults? Just plain laughable.

Even worse is that there's this distinctive charge in the air, like a thrum of energy I had never been able to sense before. It feels nearly…electrifying, like a constant zap against the bones of your body and an annoyingly incessant noise in the background. I resist the temptation to wince, knowing just how bonkers I had truly gone.

I unknowingly snort when a man, who I assume had been the one to speak earlier, leans over me. Like a cherry on top, it's for the first time that I notice the headband he's wearing. I recognize the symbol instantly. _What. The. Actual. Fuck._

Either I just passed out, got kidnapped, and transported to some weeb dream or something really fucking messed up is going on. I inwardly wince at my harsh inner language—habit from spending so much time around my little sister. Making a face after thinking about Kairi and any possible danger she could be in, I release a reedy breath of air, just attempting to find the calmness my grandmother preached during my stays in Japan. It isn't working.

I bite my lip and pray my voice doesn't tremble when I ask, "Where am I?"

There's a murmur stirring in the suffocating air when the man responds, "Konohagakure. Where else would you expect to be?"

"…_second one to be here…"_

I blink at the tiny snippet I could catch and find my brain shutting down at the mere mention of Konoha.

"This isn't funny," I say almost desperately, coming to squeeze my arms to keep them from shaking. I realize then that I'm still lying on my back, completely defenseless to these obvious lunatics. "This isn't funny," I repeat, continuing on, "So you all should just end this lame joke because _I'm_ certainly not laughing. Like, Konoha doesn't even exist so yeah, please just tell me you're j-jokin—."

"What is she even going on about?"

"…_bring her…Hokage…directly_…_second one."_

"This can't be real," I cry out, sitting up and clutching at my head in near hysterics. I try to think of how to explain this but can find nothing but the dim memory of watching Kairi tumble into some random hole. I think…I _think_ I had gone after her but I couldn't be too sure, everything is terribly fuzzy after a certain point. Either way, this is absolutely _nuts_.

"What did she just say?" The voice is female and I blink up in surprise, finding myself swallowing past a ball in my throat that feels as thick as a golf ball. I almost think I might know her but there's no recognition, only a sense that I might have slipped back into speaking English during my little panic attack.

I take a deep breath, feeling the blood in my body rush to the pulse of my throbbing brain. Willing up whatever semblance of courage I could, I murmur out softly, "Have you seen my sister? Kamishiro Kairi? She's six, black hair, dark eyes, kind of dark skinned? No?"

I nearly find myself giving into my desire to cry when their expressions turn icy. Either they've heard of her and bad things had already happened to her—making me the worst older sister in history—or they've never heard of her and I was just blathering on like some lunatic. I breathe in a shaky breath, nodding in response to my last thought. It's official; I've cracked like an egg on a sidewalk and I'm _frying_.

"Just perfect," I mutter out loud, not even caring when my Japanese falls away, "I have _one_ job as a babysitter and I completely screw it up by letting my little sister fall into a—into a freaking _wormhole_ and I can't do anything but freak out because who in the hell just _wakes_ up in a fictional world!?" I glare up at the sky, throwing up my hands pathetically, "Lord Helix, why!?" Never mind that I'm not even stuck in the world of _Pokémon_—which would have been 100% more kid friendly than freaking _Naruto_.

I feel a little sick by the time someone decides to poke the roaring beast that I had shifted into being by trying to help me up, completely bringing out a reckless glare. They all seem to sidle back, giving me space in what feels only like a suffocating cage.

Inwardly, I'm balking at my actions because I'm simply not usually like this; I don't go through this many degrees of emotions and completely loose logic. But there's just none to be found or had. No logic in any form or way could possibly try to explain how in the hell _Konoha_, home to pointy objects and some questionably 'sane' overpowered ninjas could ever be the place I land in.

A fangirl should be happy, because that's the sort of thing they fantasize about in their daydreams: falling into the fantasy world, meeting their favorite angst-ridden character, and then falling again but this time it's into love as they heal the broken soul of the heartthrob they chose to form some sort of neurotic attachment over. Yeah, I've read _plenty_ of fanfiction. I know where the fictional take on a story like this could lead me to—but this is real life and real life just doesn't have happy endings for defenseless and useless girls like me.

"Uh, Kamishiro-san?" It's the man speaking, having returned from a brief consultation with a long haired blonde man who distinctly begins to remind me of Legolas from the Lord of the Rings, perhaps being closer to Thranduil, but most definitely elfish in his appearance. Either way he looks painfully familiar, in a way that makes my brain scream and shout as if it should be 'slap in the face' obvious. I squint my eyes and cock my head to the side, struggling to bring my attention to the person actually speaking to me.

"Yes?" I prompt softly, thoughts and heart still racing in near sync with each other.

"My name is Yuuhi Shinku, and this man happens to be Yamanaka Inoichi. I believe we know a little bit about the young girl you're looking for."

I nearly weep in relief when hearing his words as my attention immediately sticks to him like glue. "I'll do anything you want me to, just _please_ don't hurt her. She must be so scared." The last bit is said mostly to myself as I think back on how much tough bravado Kairi could be showing before bursting out in tears when a sticky situation finally hits home. It happened all the time when we watched anime together, or even played video games. As smart as she is, her age always showed up in the most alarming ways…

"Your sister is safe," Inoichi informs me, a smile on his face.

It's right about now that it hits home.

Holy shit, censorship aside, holy fucking _shit_.

I'm talking to _the_ Yamanaka Inoichi, father to one of the Rookie Nine and general hot older man with serious mind abilities. It's elation at first and then...holy _shit_ I'm talking to _the_ Yamanaka Inoichi, father to one of the Rookie Nine and general hot older man with _serious mind abilities_.

"You didn't do anything to her, did you? I-I know we may seem suspicious but we're no threat I promise! We're victims to the weird, unproven scientific theory of wormholes!" Oh my _god_, Kairi is in danger. She's in the clutches of freaking overpowered and questionably 'sane' ninja and I'm just out here talking to a freaking _fictional_ character.

I feel too dizzy by the time I actually tune back into what Inoichi is saying but by then its obvious what I have to do.

"...come with me-."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

I breath in a deep breath, set my shoulders and firmly nod, "Okay. Take me to your leader."

Freaking hell, I'm the alien in this case, aren't I? Let's just hope they don't keep me around for 'tests'.

* * *

**ARC 1: Wormhole (1)**

* * *

The 'walk' through Konoha is, simply and plainly put, surreal.

I had seen the village so many times in the anime but to see it in real life is an entirely different thing I had been expecting. Not only did it look magnanimous in size-making it laughable that it's considered a 'hidden village'-it also felt just so...disturbing, setting in the fact that I'm really not meant to be here. More concerning is the fact that, on the Hokage's mountain, Minato's face is there and yet there's a subtle feeling in the air of grief in the air that is not like Konoha in the slightest.

I'm crazy, I'm really freaking crazy. Reading into the air is just stupid, I just need to deal with facts. Finding out the timeline though, would be important. How would I know what kind of Konoha I had just tumbled into without the clear indicators? Did the Kyuubi Attack already happen? Did I get transported into the literal start of _Naruto_? My head hurts even more just thinking about it.

Eventually, we enter into the Hokage's tower which is actually a big giant maze that Inoichi seemingly knows how to guide me through and we make it to _the_ door. The exact door I had witnessed Naruto slamming into at the start of the anime where he would begin yammering away about wanting to do a C-rank. I feel ill just thinking about it, the fact I am _stuck_ in the _Naruto_ world hitting home like...like I'm stuck at sea and the waves are hitting over my head with more power each time they swell and I'm just left struggling to breath through the disorientating experience but there's nothing to save me in the end.

Oh _god,_ I'm in the Narutoverse. I can't be. I can't be here. Dad's not here, I can't be here. I can't be here.

I'm shaking as I watch the door open, feeling sick and confused all the while before I'm promptly ushered into the room.

It's the biggest wave thus far when I spot Sarutobi Hiruzen at his desk, surrounded in a heap of paperwork on a large oak desk in a room that feels too small.

Nope, nope, nope. Not real. I'm dreaming. I blink furiously but nothing changes in the dream. Why isn't it changing? Oh god, please change, please. In a state of panic, I look down at my hands, verifying that I do indeed have control over my actions. Horrified, I meet his gaze and numbly take a step forward into the room.

I about jump out of my skin when the door is shut behind me but, after a quick second and look around the room, I notice Kairi.

She's merely sitting at a tiny desk, mochi in hand while she yammers on in discussion with a man...with a mask.

I panic, rushing forward and crying out, "Get away from him! He's dangerous!" Because oh god, _ANBU_ are the people who kill for a living right? Their acronym had something to do with assassination, right? Either way, he needs to take a step back. He needs to leave my little sister alone because dear god am I not going to let anything happen to her.

"Sis!" Kairi calls out, face lighting up in excitement. She wiggles giddily in her chair, short legs hanging over the edge of her chair. For the most part she looks completely unharmed, but I have to be sure.

"Kairi, are you okay?" I ask, warily eyeing the stiffly standing ANBU member. He doesn't react in even the slightest way when I block Kairi's sight of him with my body.

"I'm fine, really. I got food. This mochi is yummy, really. I remember you making mochi last week! This one is not as good as yours but I'm fine with it, really." Kairi is looking up with her widened eyes, dark eyes shining with good humor and light.

I can't hold back anymore. I quickly lean down and wrap my arms around her tightly, kissing her forehead and running my fingers through her long silky black hair while I'm at it. My heart calms with her close by, instantly feeling grounded by having a hold on her.

But now the anger sets in.

"Why did you take my phone and run off, Kairi?" I ask in English, leaning back to look at her strictly."

"You were talking with a boy," she explains as if that were reason enough.

"But you ran off to the woods!" I cry out in frustration. "What do I always tell you about the woods?"

"Not to go there..." her voice is quiet now, and she's sinking into her chair with a sad forlorn expression on her soft, round face.

"And what did you do?" I ask, even if it's obvious.

"I went in there, sorry," she looks up with her lips trembling, tears forming at her waterline. "You know, this whole thing is making me see why I need to listen to you and dad. I'm sorry, really. Really sorry, really."

I sigh before hugging her once more, tighter now as she struggles to breath. I pull back with one last peck to her forehead before murmuring out softly, "Really."

"They've been really nice to me though, Sis. Except there was this time where it went bad but after that he was really nice and then they gave me food when my tummy started rumbling. My tummy isn't rumbling anymore because they thought when I said Naruto I was talking about fishcakes and well, they thought I wanted ramen with fishcakes on it. So I ate this big bowl of ramen! It was really good, like just as good as the stuff Daddy makes, really. I got help from ANBU though, he helped me eat some of it, really, because it was too much..." Kairi rambles on as I tune out after it begins to feel like what she's saying is redundant. Either way, I need to get us out of this mess.

I blink and look up to the ANBU, finding myself feeling utterly conflicted with how I should proceed. Deciding that my situation couldn't get much worse, I interrupt Kairi's blabbering to straighten up and say, in clear distinct Japanese, to the man in the mask, "Thank you for keeping my sister comfortable. I am in your debt."

It's Hiruzen who speaks up next, asking, "What is your name?"

Heart and body jumping into back panic mode, I blink dumbly before stuttering out, "Kamishiro K-Kaida. I'm seventeen years old, ah, if you wanted to know. Sorry, uh, Hokage-sama." Right about now I wanted those theoretical waves of before to sweep me up and take me away because I'm about to start rambling in front of the Hokage. I am so shit out of luck.

"Where do you come from?"

I scratch at my head, debating on what to say when I softly respond with, "A different world."

"Yet, from Inoichi-kun's examination of your little sister, your world seems to have a certain, ah, _story_ that pertains to our society, history, and future."

"Yeah," I murmur out weakly, fingers fidgeting, "um, so that's why this is really bad. This is _really _bad. I mean, no world should know their future and now I'm here when I really shouldn't be and you're going to make me tell you everything and _so_ many things can change and then bad things that never happened originally could happen... Crap, I'm so sorry if I'm talking too much. I, uh, tend to do that when I'm nervous." God, I feel sick.

"I am curious, of course, about the future you have witnessed in the form of a, what had she said, _manga_. However, we are sympathetic beings who, if you remain willing, won't bring harm to you or your sister."

Is it weird that I actually find it _cool_ that _the_ Sarutobi Hiruzen is threatening me? I probably don't feel the sting as much because it's sort of _obvious_ that I would share everything. The problem is...

"We need to get home to our dad. He's alone and, as much as I loved this world before, I don't want to be _in_ it. I like my head on my shoulders, it feels nice to be alive. Which is why, uh, please, please, _please_ maybe help us find the hole we traveled through to get here?"

"You want a deal then," Hiruzen is saying as he strokes his spiked beard thoughtfully.

I wipe a stray hint of perspiration before nodding, "Basically." I swallow before continuing on, "I know we're not in any situation to bargain with you because you can kill us right now and be done with that but at the same time... I know all of you so well that I hope you're just as you were in the manga."

"Manga?" Hiruzen looks a bit perturbed, somewhat confused and that's when I smack a palm to my head.

"Manga is cool!" Kairi pipes up, though just taking one look at her leads me to think she really has no idea what any of us have been saying.

"Not the gardening tools! Manga is basically, um, art that illustrates stories. Like books!" I scratch my cheek sheepishly, wondering if I had made any sense in that explanation. I continue, "You're particular world had been created by a man named Masashi Kishimoto. It was him who sort of made up everything and _Naruto_ actually got really big...a-and not the fishcake! Naruto as in the person but then again, um, you probably already know that..." I trail off, shifting on my feet awkwardly.

Hiruzen sighs, making my blood run cold, "So, if I'm understanding this all correctly, you both came from a different world entirely but one that does have a connection to ours, with knowledge of future events." I nod with darting eyes. He sighs again, leans back in his chair and says something that surprises me, "Like what?"

"Excuse me?"

"Examples of things that happen in our future."

I hesitate, but only briefly. I just don't have any clue what to say, what to tell. It isn't a matter of withholding information-there's just no reason to. On the other hand, just what am I to say to a guy who I know will die by the hands of his student? But he's giving me this curious look and I never have been very good at being the center of attention. I swallow thickly and softly whisper out, "Hatake Kakashi will be the teacher of Naruto, who will be joined with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. They will eventually be broken up, mirroring the trauma, er, _Hatake_-san went through in his own genin team under Naruto's father." I pause, chewing on my lip before asking, "Do you think it's alright if I don't speak with keigo? I'm used to being informal with names..."

"Go ahead," is his simple reply. Right, okay.

"Anyway, there's a bunch of plot twists and eventually it becomes known that, uh, oh my god I can't believe I'm going to say this, Madara is alive and-."

"Uchiha Madara?"

"The very one!" I snap my fingers in faux-cheer, then I deflate once I notice the stunned, disbelieving look on his face. "You probably don't or won't believe me but he's sort of been living in some cave or something this entire time," I wave my hand dismissively, "but that doesn't really matter in the long run. What _does_ matter is that he's the trigger to this big showdown with the Bijuus and Naruto. He then turns into this big impossible to beat villain with the Rinnegan and aims to cast an eternal genjutsu on the entire populace of the world so that everybody would be dreaming of paradise or whatever. Which makes it really weird because then how would the human race continue on if there are no babies coming out of it?" It had always been one of those things I had thought had been weird but then I strongly doubt some old guy had been thinking 'wait, how will the young ones get it on?'. Yeah, no. I sigh softly, rubbing my arms before continuing, "Long story short, the good guys win and the Fourth Shinobi World War ends peacefully."

"If it weren't for what Inoichi attests to seeing in your sister's memories then I would not believe a single thing you have just said."

I bite my lip and nod, "Looking back, _Naruto_ is pretty out there and it's not exactly free of plot holes. Admittedly, if I were to try, the entire story would take perhaps even years to get down on paper." I snort to myself, muttering, "Well it's probably what I'll end up doing. I doubt we'll ever find a way home anyway."

"Hmm," Hiruzen is staring at me now, eyes probing and full of wonder before he straightens up and releases a sort of grandfatherly laugh, "I suppose it's settled then! Please do transcribe every single thing you can remember during your stay here. "

Why do I feel like there's encroaching doom up ahead?

* * *

**ARC 1: Wormhole (1) - End**

* * *

Review, follow, and favorite!


	2. ARC 1: Missing & Found (2)

Monday updates are a go! Cover image is by **SassySizzleMonster **and is a placeholder for the actual cover. Special thanks to the reviewers: **iciclefangAJ**, **spicyrash**, **sonyat**, **Llyrica**, **Born-From-Black-Lightning**, and **KryingdomHertz**. It really means a lot to have your feedback!

**Note: Unedited** (Will fix soon)

* * *

**Rumble Tumble, Double Trouble!**

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

KAI DA

_Dad isn't here. _

It's a thought that plagues me terribly as we settle down for the night in the pimped out room that had been given to us just hours before. Kairi, asleep under the covers as her comforting warmth exuded out from her small frame, probably doesn't even realize the most important part of what had all just occurred.

Falling into fictional worlds aside, our dad isn't here.

_He's alone_.

Heck, our dad didn't even have _friends_. We were his light, his life. The only relations he had with others were the students he took up in his dojo in the city, teaching a way of life to the kids in the form of judo. What life would be like for him with us gone... I couldn't even imagine the grief.

The guilt sets in as I swallow, eyes dry even as the pressure in my chest builds. I sigh before shifting in bed and facing away from Kairi. Absentmindedly I note the figure in the corner of the room; the ANBU member that Kairi had insisted stay in-doors while he guarded (read: watched) us.

Not only would he have to mourn our death, he would never know what happened to us. The worst images would come to his mind, and he'd spend the rest of his life wondering about what could have happened if he never went out to pick up a movie for us to watch after the dinner I was supposed to make. All he would find when he went home would be burnt stir-fry and rice. No signs of a struggle, just burned food. Then he would think we ran away, after that, as he wondered if he would ever see us again, wondering what he could have done differently.

Oh god, why can't all of this just be a nightmare? I need him. I need Dad.

That night is a sleepless one.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

My fingers ache, probably just as much as my head does if not even more so. Troubled, I lean back in my chair, inked brush in hand as I sigh loudly, wincing against the protest of sore muscles. Surprisingly the chair, much to my surprise, is quite comfortable and-if not for the hours I had just spent focusing on finishing up the Sage of Six Paths period-then I would imagine that I could find it pretty relaxing to be in. It would also help quite a bit if I weren't under watch by the very same ANBU member that Kairi had formed an unexplainable attachment to (something about him feeding her).

Something shifts in the room and I jump skittishly, forgetting that sometimes even _they_ move. I scowl at my paranoia before turning to look at the masked man. He stands at the door of our assigned room that even I couldn't find my way back to if I chose to leave. This place is a maze. We were currently staying in 'temporary' living quarters in the Hokage Tower, usually lent out to the important figureheads, but an exception had been made for the two otherworlders. The rooms were maxed out to the top with varying degrees of luxuries and even last night Kairi had passed out in a buffet of a vast array of foods that had been laid out on fine china.

After a while, I look away from the ANBU member feeling even more disgruntled than before. I had the feeling he didn't very much like my presence here, which would normally mean we had something in common. He only really talked with Kairi in such a way that made it feel as if she already had him wrapped around her tiny pinky. Very odd.

Restlessly, I lay down the brush and stand to stretch before pausing to look at my hands. Crusted in ink, I suck on my bottom slightly with something resembling dread. It's going to take forever to clean my hands and knowing how I am, there's even more coating my cheeks and nose.

"ANBU," I suddenly say, unconsciously taking a step forward and placing a hand on my hips, "do you think its possible that I can take a walk outside?"

He's silent, disturbingly so.

I press the back of my hands to my eyeballs, sighing, "I wish I were a cute little five year old girl too!" Maybe someone would listen to me then, and that would also mean I didn't _have_ to do all this writing or being a parent to my little sister. I miss my dad. He would really be able to set this situation straight, or at least make it better. He would sit me down and brush out my black hair before tying it up in the intricate ways he had taken to doing when doing Kairi's hair, which she demanded be cute and stylish. Being a single dad must be tough but he always seemed to make it work. I really miss him.

Suddenly I hear a hissing noise, sounding distinctly like held back laughter, coming from the ANBU member. I pull my hands away and look at him with an unimpressed scowl.

"Are you _laughing_?"

There's a pause, as if he's actually going to say something and then... He coughs. That's it.

"Ugh!" I throw my hands up and storm into the adjoining bathroom. I slam the door shut behind me, a sour taste in my mouth, before I cross my arms over my chest and scowl. Then I wince the moment I look into the mirror.

My black hair is unkempt, strands of hair sticking out in hectic disorder and crusted with hints of dried ink. I grimace at my reflection, feeling every bit as tired as this person looked with deep bags somewhat hidden under thickly framed blue glasses. Dark brown eyes blink sluggishly back at me and I sigh. I would laugh at this face too.

On the brightside I didn't have any acne rearing it's god awful head at me.

I busy myself in hoping in the shower, deciding that if the ANBU hadn't entered yet, he would remain outside. At least in here I can be alone. I sigh happily into the tiny comfort, finding the body wash before lathering my body in it. The scent of it centers my thoughts and I rub at my tired muscles, basking in the private moment.

I didn't get to enjoy my shower for long.

"Sis! I'm bored, really!" Kairi shouts, slamming into the door and rushing up to pull away the curtains.

I yelp, thinking about how I hadn't had the chance to shave my legs and look behind my little sister to find, to my horror, that the ANBU member stood in the doorway, stiff as ever. My mouth widens as I stare in dumb surprise. He quickly slides out of my view.

"Kairi!" I yell out, frustrated as I jerk the curtains to cover up the sight of my naked body. "What did I tell you about interrupting my bath time!?"

"Not to do it," she responds lazily, as if it shouldn't be that big of a deal that someone just saw me naked. By the mysterious ANBU member of all people! I don't even have any idea of who he is. He could be a creep! A pervert!

"Then why?" I ask her, barely restraining the desire to throttle her.

"Because I'm really bored!"

I close my eyes, breathing in a big slow breath before releasing the trapped air. I still feel pissed. I meet her pouting, puppy-dog eyes and I make a guttural noise in the back of my throat before saying, "Give me five minutes, and then we'll go do something fun, okay?"

"Alright!" Kairi hops away, slamming the door shut behind her and release the death grip I had on the curtain.

Next time I'll jam a chair underneath the knob.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

"I've brought food!" Inoichi calls into the room the moment I step out of the bathroom.

"Food!" Kairi squeals, racing forward to meet the blonde man. The Yamanaka picks her up and somehow balances the brown paper bags in his arms as he gives a tiny twirl. Kairi giggles brightly in excitement and I stare with something akin to horror at the sight.

_Oh my god, my sister is creating an army of minions._

"How is everything going, Kaida-chan?" Inoichi asks, setting down both Kairi and the food on the table before unpacking the already tearing bags. I put off my answer to instead inspect what he brought, hand to stomach as I realize just how hungry I actually am.

I'm practically salivating at the sight of the bowls of tempura and katsudon.

"I'm currently a bit stuck because of a few discrepancies in the story. I remember the names of Madara's brothers and I'm forgetting which ones were killed by the Senju clan...either way I could probably just write about how it basically triggered the Curse of Hatred in him..." I nod, humming to myself, "I'll do that then. The names can come to me eventually. Wandering minds tend to achieve answers better than probing ones after all."

"I really want the one with tonkatsu," Kairi says in English, pointing out one of the bowls of katsudon and I can't resist ruffling up her hair.

"Does she want that one or is she talking about how gross tonkatsu is?" Inoichi asks, looking at me as if I contained all of the answers to life's mysteries.

"Kimoi?" Kairi repeats, blinking in confusion. "Sis! I don't get what they're saying so we should really teach them English!"

I cock my head to side and sigh, "She says she wants the katsudon with tonkatsu." It would be better if dad were here to continue his lessons with her. That way she could be just as good with Japanese as I am. If only.

Inoichi nods, fluffing up Kairi's mass of black waves before setting the table. I take my place and pick up my chopsticks, sore fingers poised for action.

"Thank you for the food," I murmur quietly, suddenly avidly aware of the ANBU's eyes in my direction. I feel my face heat and I have to wrangle in the swaths of heated anger beginning to light up. I'm really just embarrassed and being such a private person is not really helping me to deal with having been seen for the first time in ages. I wince. I hope he forgets.

"Eat a duck I must!" Kairi shouts, grinning and I snort, forgetting my problems in a flash as I recall where that particular line came from.

"You're not Squid Girl," I remind her, pointing my chopsticks in her direction.

"That's what you say but you'll be in for a surprise when I stop _squidding_ around. Haha!" Kairi laughs at her own awful pun, cueing me to roll my eyes.

"Stop squidding and start eating," I gently order, then I snort as soon as I realize how sloppy she really is with chopsticks. "Here," I murmur, taking her hand in mine as I set her fingers in the proper way, "then its like crab claws. Snap, snap," I mime the very action with my own set of chopsticks, somewhat glad I'm ambidextrous.

"It's hard, sis," Kairi mumbles, struggling to follow my movements.

"That's fine, you'll get the hang of it eventually. For now, I'll help you out," I decide, picking up her chopsticks and grinning at her.

"I'm curious. Even though I've seen all of her memories, I still don't really know you or anything that happened before she was born in your life," Inoichi notes out loud. "Who exactly is Kamishiro Kaida?"

"Well, um, I grew up in Japan with my dad for the most part and then, when I was ten, the two of us left to America so that he could join Kairi's mother. Two years later Kairi was born so...that's basically it."

Inoichi blinks, "I did not expect that. I was under the impression that you shared parents."

I shake my head, "No my mom left when I was about...three? She ended up marrying some rich doctor I think. I'm assuming you already know that my dad teaches judo."

"I am."

"It didn't exactly pay very well, so I'm guessing that was why she left. Either way I've never really considered her my real mom."

"Is that normal in your world? For parents to split up? What happened to Kairi-chan's mother?"

"Sadly, yeah." I suck on my lower lip for a brief moment when thinking about his last question. I wilt in my chair, numbly setting down my chopsticks before saying, "She died shortly after Kairi was born."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." Inoichi trails off, and I snort at his wide-eyed expression.

"I never would have expected a shinobi to say that to me! I'm sure you all have had a far rougher life than anything that has occurred in my life. Losing friends, and parents and never ever being able to see them again is always hard and especially during wartime...it was sort of what drew me into the story." I pause to gather my thoughts, gazing at my fingertips before explaining, "I liked how the characters always somehow managed to rise about their stories, how they dealt with all the death and madness. Of course, _some_ could have handled it better but Naruto always showed such a...strong sense of justice and will. I really admired him."

"Was he your favorite character?" Inoichi asks.

I shake my head, "No, I was far more interested in the older, uh, men. And villians. I really liked the villains." He gives me a strange look and I scramble to explain myself, "They all had sad backgrounds! Even Orochimaru! I am weak of heart, okay?" When Inoichi still doesn't look convinced, I snap my fingers and say, "Kakashi."

The ANBU member twitches in his corner right next to the door but I pay him no mind.

"Kakashi?"

"He's my favorite."

Inoichi looks uneasy, sliding a glance to somewhere near the exit of the room before asking, "Why?"

"I..." oh shit, I can't just say it's because he's hot, that would be shallow even _if_ that's a big part of it... My thoughts scramble and I desperately blurt out, "he's kind of a coward."

The Yamanaka man looks stunned, "A coward? Why would you like someone like that?"

"No, well, I mean...it's justifiable cowardice. His father kills himself, he grows up being a rule obsessed bastard, becomes the apprentice of Minato, and then gets into a team with a rule-defying Uchiha and a sweet civilian girl. Once on the team bad things just happen and he loses them one by one, gaining a 'promotion present' from Obito, and then killing Rin when she ran into his Chidori. Not only does he have to live with the eye of one of his best friends, he has to live with the knowledge that he didn't upkeep a promise to protect Rin. That sort of thing stuck with him the entire time and then when he gets into ANBU, dealing with things in an unhealthy manner, Minato ends up having to yank him out to save him. Then a year after that, having spent the whole time watching over Kushina, he loses both of them in one fell swoop.

"What's even shittier for him is that he ends up becoming the teacher to his mentor's son. I used to be angry about that, wondering why he hadn't tried to help Naruto out before then, back when he had been dealing with all of the bullies and seclusion. But then I realized that Kakashi was too afraid of the pain. I don't know, maybe he thought he was cursed to lose everyone he loved...which I think is a very sad existence." I sigh forlornly, playing with my rice, "I was really sad when I found out he didn't get some hot big breasted woman to be the mother of his child. Instead, in the last chapter, he was with Gai and they were talking about something but I forgot what. Maybe they were reminiscing the old days while playing shogi or something."

"Sis, you talk a lot," Kairi says behind the mouthful of food I just shoveled into her mouth.

I flush in horror, "I sort of forgot I was talking..." And there it is again, that hissing noise coming from the ANBU. I turn to him, scowling, "Stop laughing at me!"

"Ah," Inoichi interjects, "How are you liking being here so far, Kaida-chan?"

I sidle back, sending one last quick glare in the ANBU's direction before answering his question, "This place honestly scares me. I want nothing more than to go back home, honestly. Of course, since I'm here I'll have to accept it."

Inoichi smiles gently at me, placing big hands onto my head before giving it a gentle pat, "You'll be safe here, don't worry."

I swallow thickly and nod beneath his palm, "Thank you."

The meal finishes up quickly thereafter which only seems to remind Kairi of her earlier desires. Sometimes I wonder if I spoil her too much...

"I'm bored, Sis!"

My fingers twitch and I look at her helplessly, "I think now that Inoichi, ah, san is here then it would be better if we just stay put. I mean, he's taking time out of his busy schedule to stop by and visit...well, I don't even really know why he's here to be honest." I grimace, wondering why someone with as high standing as Inoichi had just simply stopped over to bring us food. Couldn't some lowly genin do that?

"But I want to go outside and explore! Adventure!" Kairi shouts and I bring my hand up to pinch the bridge of my nose, pulling up the frames of my glasses.

"I'm not even sure they'd be okay with us going out right now, Kairi. To them we're possible enemies," I try to explain but seemingly to no avail.

She frowns, thinking and then sticks out her tongue, upset, "Nyeh!"

"Is something wrong?" Inoichi asks.

I tap the tip of my finger to my nose, thinking of what I could say but my thoughts scatter as soon as Kairi shouts out in broken Japanese, "Yes, it's all wrong! Fun! I want fun!"

"Oh," Inoichi starts, looking contemplative, "well then why don't we have ANBU-san take the both of you out on a walk?"

I swallow, cheeks hot for reasons I want to forget, as I say, "Ah, I actually was wondering if I could get help from you, Inoichi-san, so perhaps it's best that Kairi leave and I stay here?" Weak excuse but please buy it.

"What's happening?" Kairi asks, impatient.

Inoichi nods, smiling as his eyes crinkle in a way that reminds me of my dad. I feel a ball in my throat when he murmurs to Kairi in clipped, short words, "ANBU-san, taking, fun! _Adventure!_"

I choke on air when I hear him speak the last word in English. Oh. My. God. It should be illegal to be that damn cute while looking so devilishly handsome.

Kairi takes it in stride, squealing out merrily, "Adventure! Adventure! Adventure! Really! Let's go!"

I wince, mostly for the ANBU, when Kairi races up to him with begging eyes. At this point, I'm sure that he'll soon become some glorified baby-sister instead of the deadly weapon he had been trained to be.

Poor thing.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

KAIRI

"Anbu!" I point to the yakitori stand that sits by a dango shop and turn back to him. "Yakitori!"

"You're gonna get round." Anbu says point blank, sighing for the hundredth time today. I giggle at him, grab his finger and try to pull him to the stand.

"I don't care. Yakitori!" I remember my daddy telling me never to boss people around, to ask for things I want. I feel bad now, maybe I hurt his feelings. "Hey, sorry." I pat his hand and look up at him innocently. "I'm sorry." I take his hand and come underneath his palms, rubbing it on my head.

He snickers.

"Good?"

"Good."

We're walking again, but we don't stop for yakitori, which I was still empty enough for, but I _did _just eat lunch. I ignore the enticing smells of the grilled chicken and walked after Anbu who's taking me somewhere.

"We're going where?"

"To look at flowers." He tells me, then "All little girls like flowers, right?" is muttered under his breath. I'm proud that I understand him a little more.

"I like flowers!" I hop on the balls of my feet and he has to keep his hand in mine to stop me from running forward.

"Do you like Sakura?"

I scrunch up my nose. "Of course!" He seems relieved as he guides me through winding streets of people talking and laughing. I don't think he knows I'm thinking of the character. That's fine.

"Ne, Kairi-chan," Anbu starts, and I look up at him when he does. "Why does your sister like Kakashi?"

I think for a moment. "I think she said it's because he's...hot? A total ikemen." I raise my shoulders and look back towards the street when I almost trip over a pebble. "Oh and he's a mature older man. She likes ojii-chan's."

Anbu snickers, his shoulders shaking a bit as we trek forward. "I don't like him." I add.

"Eh, why not?"

"Because he wasn't nice to Obito." I frown, thinking back on how rude he was to Obito. Obito was a good boy and yet everyone was so mean to him. Like Naruto.

"Is Obito _your _favorite?"

"Yup! He's number one!" His hold on me relaxes and I jump forward. We're getting closer to where all the trees are blowing petals and it's really pretty. "Hey, Anbu! Hurry up!"

He follows after me, he looks like a puppy being dragged and I start to feel bad. A little bit. I pick up my pace when I see the trees looming beyond a few houses and other people heading that same way. They're cherry blossoms so I now understand that he'd been asking me earlier, not the character, the flower! I skip forward happily.

"Unf!" I run into someone who stands larger than me, and when I look up I feel a shadow befall me dangerously. It's a man and he looks upset, he's big and burly and I'm kind of intimidated by him. Then he looks up and see's Anbu, his face pales and the man shuffles away like nothing happened.

"Be careful, Kairi-chan." Anbu is standing right over me now, I smile up at him.

"Aye, sir!" I look back towards the blossoms up ahead. "Let's go! Let's go!" He's gruff when he picks me up in impatience and settles me on his hip before practically jumping to the tops of the houses. _Clack_, his feet hits the ground and that's all that's heard. He then jumps to the next roof and then to the next.

I'm howling with laughter as he bounces us up and down, the wind blowing us as we head to the trees. At the last house instead of hopping to the ground, he jumps towards the tree itself and we land without a sound.

"Uwah!" I giggle. "That was fun! Fun!" He sets me down on the branch, and keeps a steadying hand on my shoulder as we look down at the ground.

He slumps on the branch and watches the horizon, his legs swinging in the air. I feel the desire to climb though, so I move closer to Anbu and climb onto his thighs. When I try to stand so I can climb onto his shoulder though, he stops me. He pushes my hips down and forces me to sit facing him.

"Settle." Then he pats me on the head. I stare at him for a while, right before nodding. But I don't settle there, I spin around and sit in his lap while we look over the whole village.

"Flower!" I shout and laugh when pink petals land in my open mouth. I sputter for a moment, but grin before throwing the soaked petals at some unsuspecting people.

Anbu snickers, rubbing the top of my head.

"Ne! Anbu! Do you like flowers?"

He's quiet for a moment before shifting underneath me. "Kind of, they die easily, though."

"Pessimist." I tell him in English. He looks confused, well as confused a smiling kitty mask could be, but I shake my head. "Flower's are good." I tell him. I don't know how to convince him to like them as much as I do so I just play with a few buds hanging in my face.

"Are you gonna eat that, too?"

I look at him incredulously. "What? No!" You don't eat flowers. Geez, is he crazy? I look at the buds and consider it, would they taste good? I stare at it for a while before taking one and popping it into my mouth.

"Euck!" I spit it out, the bud falling somewhere to the ground.

"What the-!" Is heard from below but I ignore it.

"Anbu, don't try it!" Another set of snickers. I laugh too, but my attention is turned right over to some bushes with pretty purple flowers. "Hey, Anbu, can I pick some?" I ask, pointing to them.

He's silent, but then heaves me into his arms before flashing to the ground. I giggle when he sets me down.

"I'll be right back!" I tell him before running off to look at the bushes of flowers. An old lady greets me near the closest one and smiles at me.

"Hello, child, how may I help you?" I beam up at her.

"Flower! Please!" She smiles as she takes a pair of scissors, and cutting at one of the stems to the bloomed flower. She hands me the flower with a cute old lady laugh, and watches with bemusement as I run back to Anbu.

"Here, Anbu!" I push the flower into his hand and jump up when he takes it. "Hey! I'm gonna go get some for Inoji!"

"It's Inoichi." He corrects me. I nod and trek towards the inside of a lushly green forest. I find a lot of flowers there, a pretty blue one, a few other purple ones, and even a few yellow ones. I go deeper into the forest and pick up a bug on the way, but he runs away when I set down my flowers to gather them more easily into my hands. That makes me a little sad.

I go all the way into the forest until I see a wall that would lead into one of those really rich people places where their houses are big and traditional. I'm curious so I walk towards the wall and see a small boy around my age sitting there at the base of the wall, reading a book. I'm bewildered, he doesn't need someone to read it to him?

I'm curious so I step forward and watch him jump when a branch cracks under my feet. He's startled before looking at me in confusion, biting his lips as if in habit.

"What are you doing here?" I shrug and come closer to him.

He looks...well he looks like a boy, first of all. He has chin length black hair and big onyx eyes that gaze back at me in mild surprise. I like how he looks so I step even closer and offer him a hand before realizing that I'm clutching too many flowers in them. I drop them and rub my sweaty palms over my now grimey dress.

"Hi! I'm Kairi!" He takes my hand politely, but his eyebrows are still furrowed inwards. I laugh at that. He looks familiar to me, but he probably just has one of those faces. I sit next to him after realizing I'm actually kind of lost.

"Itachi," he replies, I wonder where I heard that from. "Why are you here? This ? is clan ?." My blank face makes him sigh. I can see he doesn't want to be rude, but he does look annoyed. I smile.

"I'm lost." I tell him. I put the flowers I'd dropped into my chest pocket and make one more realization. Oh no, really, oh no. The phone! Where was it? They took it! No! Oh well, can't be _too_ important. I ease into the grass. Really.

I look at the book he was reading and cock my head at it. I can't read the title at all, it's all in kanji and I'm really, really bad at kanji. I can't remember a single one yet. Besides the one for song. I see that a lot and I like how it's written. Daddy writes it a lot just for me.

"'Tachi, what does that say?" I ask him, pointing to the words. He's still looking really confused, but absentmindedly he nods at me.

"? ? ?."

"Nevermind."

"Your Japanese is ?" He states bluntly.

"Does that mean bad?" I rub the back of my head. I feel a leaf sticking from my hair and pull it out, flicking it to the ground.

"Yes."

"Yeah," I grin sheepishly. "I'm not from here."

Now he's curious. He looks me over and nods like it's pretty obvious.

"Where?"

"America." I tell him. He looks like he's never heard of it before and that makes me kind of sad.

"Do you speak another language?"

I nod. "English." I wonder if English is a thing here and tell him the Japanese word for it, but he's blank. Maybe not.

"Say something," His lips form a small, intrigued smile.

"Hmmm, what should I say?" I tap my chin before having an 'ahah' moment. "Don't eat flowers, they taste really bad."

He looks in awe of me. "What did you say?"

"Don't eat flowers, they taste really bad." I translate for him. I'm proud of how successfully I can say it. Maybe Japanese isn't as hard as I thought?

He laughs and nods, "Probably not the best idea."

I nod in agreeance. Then a bright idea comes to mind. "Hey! 'Tachi! I'll teach you."

"Really?"

I nod. Of course, I'd be a great teacher, like when me and Kaida play school.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

"You're bad at this." He tells me, but he has a light smile on his face.

"My bad!" I tell him, I'm losing hope quickly, but he's proving to be a faster learner than me in Japanese.

"It's okay." He says in English. He sounds more like he's saying _izu gey,_ and I don't understand why he can't say it as well as I can. Oh well, at least he knows what it means.

I scrunch my nose. "You sound funny." I want to give up. This isn't as fun as I'd thought it'd be, I wonder where Anbu is now as I look over the forest. Maybe he's looking for me.

"Hey, 'Tachi, let's take a break." I tell him as I stand up. "Let's explore."

"Oh, okay." He looks out of place as he stands, I think he'd rather read the book than go for a trek in the woods. I near scoff at that.

"Adventure!" I yell in English. He flinches at my volume and gives me a small smile before I march towards the entrance from where I'd come from. He follows after me and I think it's a lot funner with someone joining you than to adventure alone. I wonder why Anbu never went with me, but I don't really care now.

We pass a stream and I laugh when a tiny fish kicks water up at my face when I approach it. Itachi snickers at that, but for the most part he's a silent attendant on the SS Kairi. I talk enough though so when it was his turn to get splashed in the face I cackle like my sister when something mean happens to me. Before I start to cry.

After a while of trekking through the forest, I hear the sound of running water and tell him what Kaida told me, that rivers flow wherever you hear them. He nods as if this is common sense, so I pout a bit. Maybe he's just especially bright compared to me so he knows more than me.

That makes sense because he was reading that book on his own after all. I would've been crying at the thought of reading something by myself. I can read small books by myself but that book was really big compared to what Kaida and daddy read to me. I wonder what it's about.

We approach a cave and I see tracks of mud and twigs going through it. It looks as if some kind of bear went through and started rampaging, but the tracks aren't similar enough to a bear. It looks like a foot with shoe engravings in it and there are two of them.

"Look, Tachi!" I tell him, pointing out the tracks with a big 'ol grin. He looks hesitant but comes closer to see it.

"?" Itachi inquires and I ignore what he said because I don't know what it means.

"Person!" I tell him, squatting next to the tracks and rubbing my fingers into it. "New."

Itachi nods, his eyebrows drawn tightly together. I laugh at the expression, before standing upright to continue the adventure into the cave.

"We shouldn't go in there." Itachi warns me, but I shrug and come closer to the mouth of the dark swallowing pit. I think that darkness is a beautiful thing, some of my classmates at school tell me its scary but I've never been afraid of it. Because I'm brave!

I harumph and take light steps into the cave, a small giggle of excitement at the back of my throat. I hear dripping water from somewhere inside and little _scrit scrit_ sounds like animals are moving about. Maybe there are bats inside? I should probably leave then, I don't like bugging animals, it's mean to do that.

I come back out and step to Itachi with a grin. "Okay, let's-"

"MAAGHHHH!" I jump at the voice, a squeak at my mouth before something comes crashing down at my back. "Oh, Kairi!" That voice! Really!

"Daddy?" I turn hesitantly and see a man with mud and grime all over. He looks like some sort of sasquatch, the time Kaida told me lived in the forests, but I can see the features of my dad clearly through the muck. "Daddy!"

"Oh, baby," he says, leaning down as I'm brought into his arms and hefted into the air.

"Kairi-san...what's going on?" Asks Itach from somewhere and I look to the side to meet his confused gaze.

"It's my dad!" I tell him, a laugh bubbling out after my daddy squeezes me tightly. "Dad, we're in a different world!"

"Yup, Kairi, that seems to be the case."

I couldn't _wait_ until Kaida saw our daddy. She really was in a bad mood lately.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2)**

* * *

KAIDA

"How did you lose a freaking five year old!?" I cry, tossing my hands up in the air as I fought the temptation to rip the ANBU member's mask off. How could a _trained_ assassin lose such an easy target? Can't he, like, _sense_ things?

"She went off to gather flowers," the ANBU member said, in a monotonous voice that left my mind reeling. He faced Inoichi head on, tilting his head up a fraction and it was that tiny little movement that pissed me off.

"_Flowers!? FLOWERS!?_"

"Kamishiro-san, I believe its best if you sit down right now," Inoichi says, bringing a hand to rest on my forehead and I snap my gaze to him.

"I may be tiny but I am not a dog!" I growl out in a thin voice. He jumps back, hands outstretched while looking a little surprised with his eyes widening a fraction. Sucking in a breath, I turn back to the ANBU member. "What are you doing just standing around? Kairi might," I pause, blinking as my breath begins to come short and my vision starts to blur. I bring my hand to my chest and wheeze in as much as I can before dropping to balance on my feet, leaning my forehead against the thick of my knees.

"Kamishiro-san!" Inoichi shouts, sounding vague in tone to my ears before I feel hands on my shoulders, prying my hold on my knees away as they lay me down on the floor.

"I-I _need_," I try to say, willing the air to go in as I look to all the dizzying masses in the room before blinking tightly. My stomach tightens up and I feel like I'm about to hurl. "I _need_ her."

It's at that moment that I feel a pressure in my head, right before I'm out like a light.

* * *

**ARC 1: Missing &amp; Found (2) - End**

* * *

Please review!


	3. ARC 1: Reunited (3)

Reunited and it feels so good! Segway into the usernames of the people who supported us and made us feel good with their reviews: **Tremblers **(Guest), **Dulemina**, **Llyrica**, **dragfillia**, **korohoshi**, **GM NASAI**, **spicyrash**, and **MajesticSkittles**. Super short because we're tired (read: busy) and this one is pretty much a boring needs-to-be-there-but-not-fun-to-write set-up chapter. Next one will be far more entertaining and longer.

Note: **Unedited** (Will fix soon)

* * *

**Rumble Tumble, Double Trouble!**

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

KAIDA

I wake up to the echo of a throbbing pulse in my head as I sit up and sigh, clutching my fingers to my scalp. A low groan resounds from my throat before I open my eyes to push past the brunt of the flash of light before my eyes. It's only then, when my thoughts catch up with my memories, that I jump off the bed I had been laid on before looking wildly around the room I found myself in.

"There's nothing to be concerned over, Kamishiro-san," a woman says and I blink over to meet the gaze of a brunette, dressed in a dark teal dress. Vaguely, she rings a bell to my memory but before I could guess why, the door is opened as Inoichi steps in.

"Ah, she's awake! Sorry about putting you to sleep like that," Inoichi says, smiling as I recall the sense of pressure before being forced to pass out.

"Have you found Kairi?" I ask, instead of all the other questions I wanted to pester him with. Like, how an_ ANBU_ member was able to lose a little girl in a place he probably knew like the back of his hand.

"We have," Inoichi announces cheerfully, grinning, "and we also found one other person that I think you'd be very interested to see."

My brows crease and I look up curiously as the door is opened. My jaw drops, hand going up to my lips in a near quiet gasp.

"D-Dad!?"

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

KAIRI

I can't understand what everyone around me is saying, I just know Kaida was _really _worried for no apparent reason, really. She must've been super bored and didn't like it when I left to leave her with just boring Inoji. Well he's alright, I guess, but not super fun like Anbu.

Kaida is crying right now and I think its a good sort of crying, not the type she did when she thought no one could see. I think she's really happy because Daddy's here finally. Which is a good thing, really. I was really missing Daddy too.

Daddy is holding Kaida in his arms. He's still dirty but some of it has rubbed off and I can see his face now. He's crying too, so he must've been really upset when we didn't show up right away for dinner. That reminds me! I'm kind of hungry.

I tug at Anbu's pant leg and look up with beaming eyes. "Ne, Anbu, I'm hungry."

Anbu nods curtly before he hefts me into his arms and takes me into the kitchen so Kaida and Daddy can have a bit of privacy. He then sets me on the counter and goes through the cupboards and finds a box of cookies. Nonchalantly he hands me the box after opening it.

"Have at it, kid."

I smile at him before stuffing my chubby fingers into the box and pulling out two, one for me and one for him. He takes the one offered to him, his porcelain mask a stoic expression.

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

KAIDA

I wake up with eyes puffy from sobbing and covered in gunk. Somewhat disgusted with myself, I blurrily reach for my glasses on the nightstand besides the bed and release a muffled oath when someone kicks me and I get sent flailing to the floor. With a glare of hatred fully prepared to be released, I sit up and look over the bed covers to find that both Dad and Kairi are completely taking up the bed like complete monsters.

Standing up, I huff out a sigh and slip on my glasses before absentmindedly adjusting the cotton shorts handed to me before bed last night. With a yawn I head into the bathroom and busy myself with cleaning myself up in an odd sort of mindset of being half aware and half vacant. Then, like a light bulb flashing on, I rush out, blinking rapidly as I try to convince myself that this isn't a dream.

"Dad!" I shout, voice hoarse from the sobbing I had done the night before. Wasting not even a second more, I run forward and fling myself onto the bed, body slamming into him. A feeling of satisfaction fills me when I hear a muffled grunt of pain be released from him. "Daddy, wake up!"

"Nrghhff," he mumbles out, words incoherent.

I roll my eyes, leaning in to kiss his cheek before scuttling off to the kitchenette. There's really only one way to wake the sleeping beast, and that's through his stomach.

Rummaging through the fully stocked pantry and cupboards, I take the time to create the traditional breakfast that my grandmother had been avid about teaching me. Before I really notice how much I'm actually making, there's an entire set table for four people. I place a hand on my hip and frown, wondering if the ANBU would even be alright with me cooking for him.

I turn around to ask and nearly jump out of my skin when I find that he's standing right behind me. I suck in a breath and press a hand to my beating heart, "You really need to stop doing that, please. I'm an easy scare." He nods before sliding past me to move to the other corner of the room. I scowl.

He could get _so _chatty with Kairi awake but the moment she's gone, he's a complete..._doorknob_!

Just then, Dad pops his head out of the blankets, sniffing the air before jumping out of bed.

"My favorite daughter," he declares, seemingly rejuvenated and wide awake by the sight of a full breakfast. He takes a seat, rubbing his palms together before looking up to meet my gaze, "Kaida? Something wrong?"

"No, I just..." I sigh, unable to come up with a good enough lie, "I need to wake up Kairi."

"Be careful daughter," Dad reminds me and I nod gravely. Time to wake up the _real_ beast.

Calling unsuspecting and antisocial men the name of objects aside, I brace myself for war. Creeping forward and moving quietly, I shuffle slowly up the bed and grab any hard objects she could reach for and hiding them away. I notice how the ANBU watches me curiously but for the most part I concentrate on the task at hand. There is no room for mistakes in this line of duty.

With painfully slow movements, I slide the pillows off the bed and feel my breath catch when she refuses to let go a pillow she clutches in her hands. Her eyes slide open.

"Oh shi-"

"No! No! Really, no!" Kairi shouts out, screaming with bloodlust as she maneuvers her way into a standing position. Looming over me with her added height, she swings her arms out, with the pillow in hand, and goes on to attempt to pummel me alive.

"Kairi!" I cry out, arms up in protection. I sputter through feathers that leak out of a newly torn hole. She refuses to stop, tiny arms waving wildly before I decide to put an end to her violence by wrapping my own arms around her waist and hefting her over my shoulder. She squeals brightly as I spin around on my feet. Then, with a grunt of finality, I toss her onto the bed and watch her flail in the bedsheets.

"That was really fun, Sis! Do it again!"

I shake my head in amusement at her crazy ideas of 'fun' and merely say, "Food is ready."

"Fish!" Kairi immediately screeches out, plucking feathers out of her wild mane of curls before rushing to an open seat.

"Yup, grilled fish too."

"Really yum, really yum, really..._yummy_!" She sings out, before picking up her chopsticks and fumbling to break them apart.

"You may need to help her out, Dad," I say, looking on as she chews on the chopstick as if that would help her any. He hurriedly rushes to correct her, flicking his finger on her cheeks. She blows out air into his face in response, making him squeeze her nose.

"Daddy!" She yelps, grinning into his hold on her.

"I got your nose!"

"Oh no! Give it back, really, give it back!"

I snicker to myself, leaving them to their 'lesson' before looking up to the ANBU in the corner of the room. "I made enough for you too, if you'd like to join us." I nervously shift on my feet, sucking on my bottom lip before saying thoughtfully, "Of course you can also stay there and eat, but I don't think it's really all that healthy to do without food. I mean, are you ever going to be able to take a break? Y-You don't have to answer but I..." I trail off, cheeks hot as the memory of what happened yesterday returns. I press my cool hands to my face, hoping that the ground could just swallow me whole. It's really just like talking to a freaking wall. To quote my baby sister, 'Really'.

"Eat, ANBU!" Kairi says, saving me from shame as she slaps the chair next to her, "With me! Me!"

Like a miracle above miracles, he actually does as she asks, moving across the room and sitting at the table like a ready to scare off cat. I stare at her in horror, asking underneath my breath, "What kind of sorcery...?" (Duh, she's cute as hell.)

Still feeling bewildered, I take my seat and numbly repeat after Kairi when she shouts out, "Eat a duck I must!"

Somehow the ANBU shinobi manages to finish off all of his food without taking off his mask a single time. I'm practically itching to know the face of the person who Kairi had wrapped around her finger. Like a dog, snap, snap, and then he'd be there.

"So," I start, looking at my dad with interest, attempting to ignore the shinobi in favor for something more pressing, "what have you decided to do?"

"Well, Yamanaka-san explained to me that it would be best if you and I visited the leader of this place and figure out things from there," Dad scowls, expression sharpening in distaste, "They have said they did their best to find the hole we fell in but it seems that after the three of us came through, it closed off."

I make a noise in the back of the throat in response, unsure of how to feel about it all. It seems, as it all turns out, there is very little chance for us to make it home again. We're stuck here forever, which means we sort of _have_ to figure something out. Trip to see the Hokage it is. I only hope I'm actually ready for it.

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

"You've had it this entire time?" I ask, mostly to myself as I take the phone from Hiruzen's hand and lay down the stacks of papers I had oh-so tirelessly covered with text. He eyes everything I'm in contact with warily.

"I couldn't understand how to work your technology," he says to me and I nod, kind of assuming that would be the case.

Absentmindedly I flip through the apps and blink when I spot one of my many manga apps. Opening up one of them I curse silently to myself, "If only this thing would never die. Then I'd have the entire _Naruto_ series at the touch of my hand." Mostly because I'm an obsessive dork, I fully take advantage of my sixty-four gigabyte memory and have every single chapter downloaded and stored onto my phone. I sigh forlornly. For now all it would be good for is looking through the places I knew the least in but nothing more. It will die eventually and then I'd be left with only my somewhat faulty and erroneous human mind.

"Teenagers," my dad whispers conspiratorially to the Hokage, "always on their phones, am I right?"

I look up in horror and watch him wink, "Dad, no!"

Looking vaguely disturbed and conflicted, Hiruzen waves it off, "I wouldn't know."

Distressed, I pocket the phone and steer the conversation to less offending and dangerous topics, "So, how are we going to be doing this? Are we treating this as if we're stuck here forever or not?"

"The situation doesn't look good for you, Kaida-chan," Hiruzen informs me, looking stately and severe in his honesty.

I slump forward, nodding, "Yeah, I got that loud and clear."

Silence lingers in the air as I look up to meet his gaze with a tiny, forced smile, "Okay then, we treat this as if we're permanent civilians in Konoha." I turn to Dad and will myself to not reach out for his shirt sleeve like I had been prone to do when I was younger. Time to be mature, time to look out for the family and have a head on your shoulders. Neither Dad nor Kairi have the knowledge of the future, at least not in the way I do. Instead, I need to take care of them.

"For now," Hiruzen says, nodding in thought, "I will have you come sit in here as you write. That way, we can keep this information _purely_ between us. I'll set up a home for the three of you to stay in for the time being, until you are able to assimilate into our culture. Funds will be arranged for groceries, clothes, and any other unforeseeable expenses." He smiled calmly before murmuring out in a low tone, "I expect this to be a mutually beneficial relationship, Kamishiro Kaida."

I swallow, bringing my hands up to hide my flush. Ah, older men just tended to look so..._cool_.

"Uwaah," Dad suddenly interjects with, blinking as he regards me with wide eyes, "I've never seen you look so professional! I did such a good job, you're welcome."

I snort, unable to keep it at bay, "Dad, you're ridiculous."

"I know you are but what am I?"

I look to him sufferingly, "Dad, please, no. Not this again."

"No, Kaida, say it."

"Say what?" I ask, wiggling my arms as I regard him desperately with quiet dread.

"Say that you're hungry."

It was almost like kicking a puppy when I reiterate him word for word, "Say that you're hungry."

His face tilts up, his lower lip pulling his expression into a pout, "Kaida, no."

Sighing, I groan internally before begrudgingly giving in, "I'm hungry."

"Hi Hungry, I'm Dad!" He beams, looking to Hiruzen before conspiratorially whispering, "Haha, it's a joke that I saw on the internet."

Cheeks flushing as Hiruzen stares at us with blatant confusion, I smack my palm to my face before I voice out a topic change, "I'll walk my dad back to the room we're in and come back to, uh, get to work. I guess."

"That's my daughter! Bringing in the bacon, ahah! That's another joke I saw too. Is it funny, Kaida? I think it is, because bacon is delicious!"

I squint at him, sighing inwardly as I pray for the strength to persevere through this. Dad jokes, maybe one day, will be the thing of the past.

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

KAIRI

I harumph into the air dangerously.

"Why do _I _have to stay back?" I grumble under my breath. I look at the woman before me with a quizative gaze. To be honest, she reminds me of my preschool teacher in a way. She has a gentle grin and nice eyes that say wonderful things. And she's carrying a baby in her arms. Said child has a bright bubbly grin on her face as she plays with her mother's hair.

"Oh come now, Kairi-chan," the woman chides me before placing a hand at my shoulders and guiding me towards a nice looking shop. "I hear you like flowers."

"Yeah, they're really pretty." I feel betrayed when I break into a toothy grin. I feel as though I have to hate this, maybe because I just want to play with everyone else. Not with a strange lady Inoji took me to.

We're at the front of the shop and the lady is digging her fingers into her satchel until I hear a set of _clings_, and the keys to the door is in her palms. After unlocking it, she pushes the door forward and shuffles into the shop.

"Come in, Kairi-chan."

"'Kay, Baa-chan!" She's irked as she looks down at my face.

"You can call me using my last name, Yamanaka," she tells me. I nod, she's one of those ladies that doesn't like reminders that she's getting kind of old.

"Yamanaka-san." I comply and set foot into the shop and feel delighted when I come face to face with rows upon rows of beautiful flowers and decorations. I jump up, feeling a slight buzz at the sight of all these gorgeous plants that beam towards the sky. It looks like their beaming at me.

"You're gonna help me sell these, okay, Kairi-chan?" I nod excitedly. "Remind people not to steal at the front." Another set of nods.

With happiness welmed into my chest I await patiently at the front door for a customer to pop in. It takes a while, but when a little old lady comes in I prepare my biggest smile and round towards her. She looks pleased, her old features tugging into a young smile.

"Don't steal!" I tell her and look towards Yamanaka again who nods and flashes me a thumbs up. "Have fun!" I shout to the older lady before going back to my post at the front door.

Kaida needs to hurry up. This is really boring.

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3)**

* * *

KAIDA

"So, this place is our new home!" I announce to Kairi, gesturing to the well maintained house that Hiruzen had placed on us. Much to my surprise, the house is actually better than I had expected it to be and far nicer than any house we had ever lived in before (if I were being honest). There's just only so much that Judo lessons can pay for, and a big nice house is not one of them.

"It's pretty! Really!" Kairi beams, hopping on her feet.

I snort, grinning as I turn the key in the lock of the house, "It's been fully furnished, so it's fully prepared for the three of us."

"Maybe falling into that hole thing was a good thing, daughters?"

I purse my lip in thought, "A place where we can die at any moment? Yeah, um, anyone sane would say otherwise."

Dad just smiles.

* * *

**ARC 1: Reunited (3) - End**

* * *

Follow, favorite, and review please!


End file.
